At the age of 30 born in 1982, Thorpe will be 32 for the Commonwealth games in 2014 for Rio will be 34. Most swimmers have hit their peak by the age of 26. Swimming is a young person’s sport where athletes burn out and don’t usually see more than 3 Olympics. It’s only the exception swimmers like Michael Phelps who announced his retirement after London 2012 at age 27 the greatest athlete of all time. He attended 4 Olympics but his first Olympics Sydney in 2000 he was only 14 yet won nothing. The next 3 games held in 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing and London 2012 saw Phelps achieve a total of 22 medals. 18 gold, two silver and two bronze setting the record for the most medal wins of any Olympic athlete.

In comparison Thorpe’s first Olympics was also Sydney in 2000 at the age 17 and he only competed in one more Olympics; Athens 2004, retiring before Beijing. Realistically with Thorpe being past the normal peak age for swimmers I believe it to be hard to see any further success however he may be able to achieve something at Glasgow in 2014 but in realistic terms Rio in 2016 is out of the question, considering: he is past the normal competing age and peak, years out of swimming and lack of training and the developments in swimming alone and he didn’t qualify for London 2012. Although with the backing of his sponsors and determination Ian could make a respectable comeback… watch this space.

After spending much time in the UK during the Summer Olympics reporting for the BBC, interviews and book releases Ian thorpe returns to Australia 15th of November. leaving a current Tweet.

Ian Thorpe‏@IanThorpe

Thanks for all your comments guys, again, it’s sad to be leaving the UK but il be back again very soon. #secondhome

To conclude, Ian’s battle with depression could have been through the areas that have been explored: immense Pressure, Success, and Rumours on his sexuality from a young age or from being a young sports athlete who retired early. All this aside I believe that his personal autobiography ‘This Is Me’ has helped him with closure and a chapter of his life that he can put behind him and learn from. He is now wanting to help those who are feeling the same or that are struggling with themselves, drink/depression. His book has provided him with a healthy honest outlook on life. Ian has also now written an article on Phelps seen earlier and was able to commentate as part of the BBC’s team.

All the best with the training Ian, I doubt this will be the last we hear from The Thorpedo. Best of Luck.

Now that Ian has released his book, it’s almost like he’s been given therapy and managed to close a chapter of his past even though he still has his ups and downs. He began writing a book about his return to swimming but it became a more personal book of his life and about his struggle with depression, sexuality rumours and a confession and realisation that had been struggling from a young age and throughout his career. I believe this book has been the outlet Ian needed and he hopes to help others who suffer from depression, drink abuse and suicidal thoughts in his open approach which his book has already helped people. (See the tweets below).

Michael Jordan‏@mick_jordan_

@ianthorpe Just finished This Is Me.Grateful for your open telling of your story.Helped me make some sense of my problems with depression.

Struggling with depression Ian started drinking this was even during the 2004 Olympics. He tried to drown his demons by drinking which consequently lead to him to feeling worse and further have a drink problem where he became even more depressed making him think of suicidal thoughts. He said that even though he knew drinking was making it worse he didn’t know what to do and how to get out of the dark place.

To have always been questioned about his sexuality from a young age must have been affected Ian in some way. To have always been asked and rumours around his sexuality must have made him feel: upset, hurt angry or miss understood.However Ian has been strong and has always stuck up for himself stating he is heterosexual and that it never bothered him.

Although there must have been times he would have felt that people don’t understand him or have a pre-conceived ideas of who is heterosexual and who is homosexual.

Rumours since the age of 16 until present at 29. Thorpe in the video above says it doesn’t bother him that much but to me that sounds like it does bother him a bit even though he denying the rumours and trying to move on with his life and focus on his swimming.

Ian’s first International competition was in 1997, the Pan-Pacific meet when he finished second in the 400 freestyle. He was then 14 years old.

A young talented individual from a young age and the youngest swimming athlete from Australia. The pressure on Ian must have been intense from this young age as he entered the 1998 World Championships he won both the 200 and 400 freestyle.

He became the media darling of Australia going into the Sydney 2000 Olympics, immense pressure from a young age and an international world breaking athlete saw Ian dominate 2000 Sydney Olympics in his own Country.

He won three gold medals at the 2000 Olympic Games, but his only individual title was in the 400 free, as he finished second in the 200 freestyle. With three relay medals, he won five Olympic medals at the Sydney Games.

Australia’s Greatest Swimmer…

The 2001 World Championships Ian achieved the 200, 400 and 800 metre freestyle events, all in world record times an incredible achievement. He also swam on three winning relay teams.

Ian became the first person to win six gold medals at a single World Championship.

At the 2002 Pan-Pacific meet, Thorpe won five titles – three individual in the 100, 200, and 400 freestyles, and two relay championships. He has set 13 individual world records (through 2006).

Although slightly overshadowed by Michael Phelps, Thorpe won four more Olympic medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, with gold’s in the 200 and 400 metre freestyles.

From the early age of five Ian started swimming when his sister was advised to swim after a wrist injury, to strengthen the wrist. Unfortunately Ian had an allergic reaction to chlorine from a young age and swam with his head out the water. It wasn’t until 1994 when he was 12, he was more accustomed to chlorine where he competed for the very first time where he won 9 individual gold medals.

1995 saw Ian move to high school and change coach to Doug Frost.

His National debut in 1996 at 14 saw him achieve five gold, two silver and two bronze at Australasia’s age championships in Brisbane.